Method and system for storing, retrieving, and managing data for tags

Abstract

This invention relates generally to a method and system for storing, retrieving, and managing data for tags that are associated in some manner to any type of object. More particularly, the present invention writes data to these tags, reads data from these tags, and manages data that is written to and/or read from these tags.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for generating an alarm when one or more tags fall within a proximity comprising:
 receiving a first message on a tag, that is broadcast at a regular time interval from a partner tag using a partner timer interrupt on the partner tag, and that includes a partner identifier of the partner tag that is used to distinguish the partner tag from other tags; 
 reading the partner identifier of the partner tag from said first message on the tag; 
 sounding an alarm on the tag audible alarm of the tag if said read partner identifier is in a list of sensitive tags on the tag; and 
 broadcasting from the tag a second message that includes an identifier of the tag at the same regular time interval using a timer interrupt on the tag that the partner tag receives and uses to sound an alarm on the partner tag if the identifier is in a partner list of sensitive tags on the partner tag, wherein the identifier is used to distinguish the tag from other tags. 
 
     
     
       2. The method for generating an alarm as in  claim 1  wherein said sounding an alarm step is performed only if a signature in said first message verifies. 
     
     
       3. The method for generating an alarm as in  claim 1  wherein said sounding an alarm step is performed only if a time in said first message is within a predetermined period. 
     
     
       4. The method for generating an alarm as in  claim 3  wherein said predetermined period is not more than one minute from a current time.